what about the rediculous sam adams glass? Personally i think its a crock

The Sam Adams glasses are quite nice and are the ones I often use for most styles. For porters and stouts I'll use a std. pint. I've lately taken to using a short fat mug for hoppy beers as they really let the aroma out, but hold it in the glass for me to enjoy. I like them better for this style over the SA glasses or an American or Brithish Pint.

I have 4 of the Sam Adam's glasses. They are nice and they do help hold in hop flavor a bit IMO and also they hold the head on top longer than a regular glass but its nothing drastic. Also they are thin so I assume that means easy to break but they were expensive so I am careful with them.

On the one hand, I like British pint glasses so much that I was sentenced to death over one. No sh!t. Right there in Heathrow.

On the other, the classic British dimpled pint mug, like this one:

...is the perfect counterweight for my off-hand when throwing darts. Fingers looped through the handle, holding the mug like a glass. Perfect. Even worked on the QEII a couple of years ago, doing a late-autumn Transatlantic in the heavy North Sea.

I have 4 of the Sam Adam's glasses. They are nice and they do help hold in hop flavor a bit IMO and also they hold the head on top longer than a regular glass but its nothing drastic. Also they are thin so I assume that means easy to break but they were expensive so I am careful with them.

They are certainly pretty. I'm not being sarcastic. If it makes the beer look more special, then it all helps IMO.

I use an Imperial pint for British styles and an American pint for US styles. I prefer my weiß in a weiß glass, my rich stouts in a snifter, my floral Belgians in a tulip, my large Belgians in a goblet, my Lambics in a champagne flute, my Kölsch is a 0.2L stange, my German lagers in a Maß, my Pilsners and Pilseners in a Pils glass, and special beers in whatever the hell I think makes it the best experience. Yes I love glassware.

The SA glass is a bit over the top. It does work nicely but it is too much marketing and has a gimmicky feel that reeks of unauthenticity. I have 2 and use them occasionally. Actually I kind of like them for Apfelwein for some reason....

EDIT: I drink BMC out of an empty urinal puck (nod of the hat to Evan!)